Officer Support for Use of Force Policy: The Role of Fair Supervision

Abstract

Police use of force is an issue of great concern, even in democratic societies. Recent events in the United States and Europe reinforce older lessons that legitimate policing is both important and hard to achieve. This article adds to our understanding of how a fundamental aspect of police organizations—supervision—might contribute to a better justified use of force by the police. We examine the relationship between fair supervision (internal procedural justice) and officers’ support for restrictions on their use of force. Our findings suggest that supervisor modeling can provide an important linkage between the two. The results also suggest that fair supervision fosters support for restraint in the use of force through greater moral alignment with citizens and increased trust in the general public. The implications of this for research and police practice are discussed.

The organizational justice effect among criminal justice employees: A meta‐analysis*

“…What is more, officers who experience fair supervisory treatment report greater job satisfaction and more trust in their agencies (Donner et al., 2015; Wolfe & Nix, 2017). Recent research findings also have shown that police officers who experience organizational justice from their supervisors are more likely to support democratic styles of policing by holding positive attitudes toward the use of procedural justice when interacting with citizens and being restrained in the use of force (Tankebe, 2014; Trinkner et al., 2016; Van Craen & Skogan, 2017a, 2017b). The benefits of organizational justice also seem to extend to counterproductive work behaviors.…”

De-Escalation Training Receptivity and First-Line Police Supervision: Findings from the Louisville Metro Police Study

“…However, the research team found that if sergeants favored more force or viewed upper management negatively, officers held more negative attitudes towards use of force policies (Ingram et al, 2014). Similarly, in their survey assessment of officers’ support for their organizations’ rules regarding the use of force, Van Craen and Skogan (2017) found that supervisor modeling affects officers’ views. Fair supervision, they found, fostered officers’ support for restraint in the use of force through officers’ greater moral alignment with citizens and trust in the general public (Van Craen & Skogan, 2017).…”

“…Similarly, in their survey assessment of officers' support for their organizations' rules regarding the use of force, Van Craen and Skogan (2017) found that supervisor modeling affects officers' views. Fair supervision, they found, fostered officers' support for restraint in the use of force through officers' greater moral alignment with citizens and trust in the general public (Van Craen & Skogan, 2017).…”

“…Many have noted the importance of first-line supervisors in the communication and reinforcement of expectations related to use of force among officers (Haas et al, 2015). The available research examining supervisors' influence on officers' use of force, however, is strikingly limited (Van Craen & Skogan, 2017). Still, there are several organizational and empirical reasons to suggest that first-line supervisors play a key role in the implementation and sustainability of use of force and de-escalation policies, training, and practices within an agency.…”

Police managers’ self-control and support for organizational justice.

“…Research shows that police officers who felt their supervisors treated them fairly were more likely to support using procedural fairness when interacting with citizens (Tankebe, 2014b; Trinkner et al, 2016). Recently, Van Craen and Skogan (2017b) demonstrated that supervisor fairness was associated with their subordinates having greater trust and moral alignment with citizens, which in turn fostered support for use of force restraint among these officers (see also, Van Craen, 2016; Van Craen & Skogan, 2017a).…”